ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass and Lap Band® Forum - View Single Post - How long did it take you to recover from surgery?

cnvh · 03-10-2008, 07:39 AM

I also basically have a desk job... I had no complications from my RNY and went back to work 13 days after surgery. For the first week, I worked shortened hours (left a couple hours early each day), then after that I was back to a normal schedule.

For the first couple of weeks, even with NO complications, you will tire very easily, and what sleep you DO get will probably not be as restful as it should be, so even though you might not have a physically demanding job, you'll still get pooped easily. I normally work 8-4:30, and the first week I was back at work, it was all I could do to leave around 2:00 and make it home before I passed out-- I just literally could not stay awake for a full work-day at first.

But if you have no complications, you DO get better and better each day. I'd say that for me, I was 100% back to normal-- and probably BETTER than normal-- by 1 month out. After that, it was all a steady improvement-- you don't realize how "blah" you feel from being fat, until the weight starts to come off-- then you're like, "ohmygawd, I haven't felt this great in YEARS!!"

And again, this is with no complications-- if you DO have problems, you could easily be out of work for weeks, if not months. Better to PLAN for at least 3 weeks, then if you feel up to it (and your doc OK's it), you can always go back early if you want.